Wire-covering machine



March 16 1926.

W. E. COOK WIRE COVERING MACHINE Filed Dec 13. 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m'mron WWW/ fig ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES "PATENT WILLIAM E. 0001:, mm YORK, 1\T. Assrenon, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, Tame PEERLESS INSULATED WIRE AND CABLE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N.-Y., A ooR- i PORATION OF DELAWARE.

WIRE-COVERING MACHINE.

Application filed December 1a, 1918.; Serial No; aeaseef 7 To all whom it may concern:

Be .it known that 1, WILLIAM E. Coon, "a subject of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residingiat St. George, in the borough of Richmond, city of New York, county ofRichmond, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in VVire-Covering Machines, of which thefollowing is a 10 specification, reference beinghadtherein to the accompanying drawings, 'Whieh form a part thereof.

My invention relate'sto Wire covering machines, and more particularlyto a machine} adapted to apply an lnsulatmg base composed of cotton sliver, or other similar material, to a conductor Wire. 4 1

In machines of the character to which my invention relates, the conductor Wire is fed' through a bath of a, suitable adhesive solution, and thereafter has spirally Wound about same, oneor more plies of a base of absorbent material, such as cotton sliver, which, after being compacted, has applied thereto, confining threads or COIdS'tO hOld theconductor Wire.v x v With some types of Wire, it is necessary to the spirally Wound sliver fin position upon use an adhesive requiring heating to make] it sul liciently fluid. Under these conditions, the passage of Wire through theheated bath .raises the temperature of the WlI' and prevents a sufliciently rapid setting of the adhesive, so that as. the cotton sliver is applied adhesive and thus not only prevents the desired firm bonding of the silver to the wire, but at the same time so fills the sliver with adhesive as to prevent a proper saturation or impregnation thereof with the asphaltum, or other composition, subsequently used in the manufacture of the Wire.

In machines of this character, the cotton sliver is loosely coiledin barrels, and there is a tendency ofcentrifugal force, in the operation of the machine, to fold portions of the convolutions of the sliver presented toward theaxis of rotation of the barrels,

offsucceeding convolutions thereof.

to the wire,.ithas a tendency to absorb said If the'iad-f hesive be maintained at a temperature sulficiently low to prevent its being maintained over othen'por-tions thereof, in a manner to entangle the shver While 111 the barrelyand nterfere Wltll its free withdrawal during affecting the sliver.

thefoperation ofthe machine, thus tending towards the frequent breakage of the sliver. To avoid this condition, it is now .the prao t'1ce torun these machines ata sufficiently low speed to prevent centrifugal action thus .With these conditions nif maid, the mere I objectof' the invention istoprovide a machine Whichfisicapable ofbeing operated at hlgh speed, ithout likelihood of the' different convolutions of'the coil of thesliter being entangled, While in the barrel or bar-" rels, and wherein the application of adhesive to the conductor Wire will be such as to-form a substantially uniform stratum thereof upon the Wire, with suffime'nt' rapidity to, per-.

mit thedesired high speedinthe operation ofthe machine. Y Wherebythe. sliver, or other absorbent material, Wlll. receive anlnltial' compaction,

prior to that compaction at the point of a -I. plicat onof'the confining cords "or stran s' thereto.

I further so 'cgnisitriict the machine that the I, also provide means confiningcord's or strandsiwill be applied to the sllver-covered Wire in a manner to ensuresub stantial uniformity in the I also provide .the machine With'an aut0 spacing matic stop 'n1echanism, .which "becomes op- I I, Another characteristic of the invention is erativeuin the event of the breakageofthe.

economy in the consumption of theadhesive to the conductor Wire. M

The 1nvent1on consists in the novel feaas aresult of the manner of its application 't'ures -of .eonstructionand combination of parts, hereinafter set' forth and described,

and more particularly 'pointed' outv in (the claims hereto appended.

j Referringto the drawings,

Fig. 1 isa frontlview of a 'macliine e m-i bodying myinvent on, partly elevation and "partly in section; and a Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Like letters refer to like parts both of In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, the frame of the machine is shown at 1, said frame having parallel cross frames 2 and 3, one adjacent the bottom of the machine, and the other adjacent the top thereof. Rotatably mounted between the cross frames 2 and 3, is a platform 4 adapted to receive one, or a plurality ofbarrels 5, containing the cotton sliver, or other absorbent material, with which the wire is to be covered, and which forms the base of the insulation for said wire.

The platform proper 4 is provided with a hollow arbor 6, mounted in a suitable bearing in the cross. frame 2. Supported from the platform 1 by means of suitable standards 7 is a top frame 8 carrying a hollow arbor 9, mounted in a suitable bearing in the upper cross frame 3. This construction not only afiords suitable opposed bearings for the rotating platform structure, but also imparts the desired rotative movement'to the dies which serve to smooth the sliver, or other material, after it has been applied to the wire, and compact it to the desired extent.

The edge of the platform 4 is pitched up wardly and inwardly of said platform in a manner to incline the barrels 5 obliquely to, and toward, the axis of rotation of said platform, to an extent to prevent centrifugal force exerting any lifting action upon the inner portions of the coils of the sliver within the barrels 5.

The arbor 9 projects above the cross frame 3 and has mounted thereon a compressing die 10, which is rotatable therewith. The opening through this die is of gradually decreasing diameter from the bottom to adjacent the top thereof, a short length of said opening being of uniform diameter to maintain the compaction of the sliver, or other material, for a sufficient interval to cause a temporary set of the fibers of said material, sufficient to facilitate the application of a binding cord or cords thereon as the covered wire leaves the die.

\Vhen operating a machine at high speed, it is desirable to subject the sliver, or other material, wound upon the wire, to a preliminary compression before passing. it through the die 10, thus compacting the said, material under conditions which will avoidlikelihoodof attenuation thereof after application to the wire, and securing a firmer set of the fibers than is possible with the use of a single die. In the form of the invention shown, I secure this preliminary compression by means of a die 11, carried by, and rotatable with, the top frame 8, which die also has a graduatedopening therethrough. The dies 10 and 11 rotate with the platform 4, and at the same speed.

Carried by the shaft 12, mounted at the top of the frame 1, and beyond the die 10, is

a wire feeding sheave 13, a portion of the surface of which is directly above the axis of the arbors 6 and 9, and the dies 10 and 11. The wire 14 is fed through the machine by means of said sheave, being drawn from any desired source of supply, and being held in alinement with the arbors 6 and 9 and the dies 10 and 11 by means of a suitable guide, as the pulley 15, positioned adjacent the bottom of the machine.

The cotton sliver, or other covering material, for the wire, is indicated at 16, said material being spirally wound about the wire adjacent the inlet of the die used for compacting said material upon the conductor wire, the spiral trend of the strip of sliver, or other material, resulting from the travel of the wire 14.. I

To secure the desired permanent relation between the covering material and the wire,

a suitable adhesive is applied to the wire prior to the application of said material thereto. Under some conditions this adhesive is applied to the wire while hot, while under other conditions a cold adhesive is used. The means for applying the adhesive to the wire, in the form of the invention shown, is particularly adapted for use when the adhesive must be heated. In the form of the invention shown, I provide means which will apply hot adhesive in small volulne to the wire, thus ensuring the formation of a thin film thereof upon the wire, the wire being fed cold, so that the adhesive upon the wire, before reaching the point of application of the sliver, or other material, thereto, will partially setso as to be sufficiently tacky to cause the sliver, or other material, to be firmly bonded to the wire, while not being sufiiciently fluid to permit any substantial absorption thereof by the sliver, or other material.

The adhesive to be applied to the wire, in the form of the invention shown, is contained in a tank 17, provided with suitable means as the steam coil 18, for maintaining said adhesive in a fluid state. Projecting from said tank 17, is a trough 19, which trough has an opening therethrough for the wire 14, and is provided with a conical shield 20 extending about the wire and having an outlet opening sufficient to permit the free passage of said wire, but extending in close proximity thereabout. Mounted adjacent the tank 17 is a fluid pump 21 drawing its supply from said tank and delivering it through a small pipe 22, adjacent the outlet opening of the shield 20. In this manner a limited volume of the adhesive is constantly discharged upon the wire, the surplus adhesive beifig returned to the trough 19, and thereby to said tank 17.

As the wire leaves the die 10, binding cords or threads will be applied thereto to prevent the unwinding of the sliver, or other material, the constructiouof the machine being such as to imbed these cords or threads in the libers of the sliver, or other material. The machine may be so constructed as to havethese cords or threads wound upon the sliver, or other material, at the same angle as said material is wound upon the wire, or at a greater or a less angle, and the direction of winding said cords or threads may be in the same direction as that of the sliver,or other material, or in the opposite direction.

The mechanism for applying the binding strands or cords to the sliver, or other material, in the form of the invention shown, comprises a rotatable table 23, idly mounted upon the arbor 9, above the cross frame 3. Carried by said table is any desired number of spindles 24, adapted to receive spools of the binding strands or cords 25. Supported from the-table 23 is a flanged plate 26, the flange" of whichterminates below the discharge end of the die 10 and is flared outwardly. This flange has therein, adjacent each spindle 24, an eyethroughywhich the strand or thread passes, and by means of which it is positioned in relation to said die. Between the plate 26 and each spindle is an ordinary thread tensioning device 27, by means of which the thread is so tensioned as to ensure its being imbedded in the fibers of the sliver, or other material. Any desired tensioning device may be 'employed, that shown in the drawings being merely conventional. 4

To ensure the application of the binding threads or strands tothe sliver, or other material, beforefsaid material hashad an opportunity to expand after leaving the die 10, I so construct the exterior of said die as to cause the application of the thread or strand to the sliver, or other material, immediately after it emerges from the outlet of said die. To secure this result, I make the upper portion of said die 10, inthe form of a truncated cone,tl1e top of this cone being brought to a narrow edge, so that the threads or strands will have a tendency to wind upon the outside of'saiddie, and be drawn therefrom as a result-of the lineal traverse of the covered wire with the strand or thread in substantial engagement with the sliver, or other material. 7

The table 23 is driven by means of a gear train 28, the first gear ofwhich is carried by the arbor 9,and the last gear of which is carried by said head. Intermediate gears'of said train are rotatably mounted upon the cross frame 3. In the form of the invention shown, the gear train 28 is designed to rotate the head 23in a manner to wind the threads or strands upon the sliver, or othermaterial, in the same direction, and at the same angle, as said sliver, or other material, is wound upon the conductor wire. I It is. apparent, however, that the speed of rotation of said 'which is carried bythe arbor 6.

a sprocketwheel'41 connectedby a suitable head, or its direction, or both, may be varied by merely changing the layout of this gear train, so as to have said strands or threads wound in any of the ways above referred to. After leaving the sheave 13, the covered and bound wire is delivered to a suitable reel 29, mounted upon a shaft 30, a suitable traverse device 31 controlling the movement of=the guide pulley 32, being emp'loyedto ensure a. proper winding of said wire upon said reel. The construction of said traverse device is old and well known in this art, and a detailed description thereof is therefore unnecessary. Power for actuating the machine is'derived through the main power shaft 33, connected by means of a friction, or other suit able clutch 34, with a pulley 35. Splined to the shaft 33 is a bevel gear forming the first ofa gear train 136, the'last gear of The means for applying the binding strands or threads to the covered wire, heretofore described, has the power applied thereto as a result of the rotation of the table 4. g

The shaft 12 is'actuated by a suitable speed reducing mechanism such as the sprocket wheel 3'7, carried by the shaft 33,

the'conn'ected sprocket wheels 38 and 39, the first of which is driven by a suitable'chain from the sprocket wheel 37, and the latter of which, by means of a chain drives *a sprocket wheel 40, rotating with which is chain with a sprocket wheel 42 carried by the shaft 12. This manner of transmitting power to said shaft 12 affords a? compact transmission system, although, if desired, other connections for this purpose may be used. 1 1 Also mounted uponthe shaft 12" isa pulley 43, adapted to be connected by means of a suitable belt with a pulley 44, the shaft of which pulley carries a gear 45 and a sprocket wheel 46, said gear 45 b'eing in mesh with a gear 47 upon the shaft 30,

' and said sprocket wheel being connected by a suitable chain with a sprocket wheel 48, forming a part of the traverse mechanism 7 above referred to. i

To permit the control of the power applied .to the machine, I provide means whereby the clutch 34 may be manually set, or released, which means also includes'therein a brake mechanism acting upon the table 4. Acting upon the shaft 38 is a hand'lever 49 by means of which said shaft in its entirety may be shifted sufficiently to set, or release, the clutch 34. 'Mounted adjacent each side of the table 4 is .a re'ciprocatory brake slide 50, the head of which is adapted to engage the rim of said table 4. Onearm of a lever acting thereon is connected-by means of a rod 51, having'in its'length a" turn buckle 52, by means of which the throw of the slides may be controlled. One arm of one of said levers is connected tl'irough its slide by means of a linr with the hand lever 49, so that the actuation of this lever will result in the desired actuation of said brake mechanism.

To prevent centrifugal action having any tendency to force the top of the barrels 5 outwardly from the axis of rotation of the table 1, I provide the standards 7 with straps 54, adapted to engage said barrels, adjacent the top thereof, and thus retain them in the proper position while the machine is in operation. This construction also facilitates the rapid removal of barrels from the table l, or the mounting of said barrels thereon.

Machines made in accordance with my invention, are used in groups with one operative in charge of a group. Hence in the event of a break in one or more strips of the sliver, or other material, there is likelihood of a considerable length of wire being improperly covered before an operator would observe the fact that a strip of sliver is broken. To avoid this condition, I provide a stop mechanism operative in the event of the breakage of one or more strips of sliver, the actuation of which mech anism is dependent upon a decrease in the diameter of the covered wire after it leaves the compacting die 10, and before it passes over the sheave 13. This mechanism comprises oppositely disposed contact arms 55 and 56, mounted upon the tie bar 57, and insulated one from the otherl One of said arms, as 55, is an electrical conductor, while the other arm carries an adjustable electrical contact 58. One of said arms, as 55, is movable toward, and from, the other arm under spring pressure, the arm, if desired, being made of spring steel.

The arm 55 and the contact 58 are included in an electrical circuit indicated conventionally in the drawings, which circuit also includes therein an electromagnet 59, operatively connected with a clutch mechanism 60. This clutch mechanism co-operaates with a full cord 61, one end of which carries a sliding weight 62, and the other end of which passes about the pulley 63 and is connected with the hand lever 49.

By this construction, the interposition of the covered wire between the contacts 55 and 56, hold said contacts apart, and will interrupt the circuit to the magnet 59, so that the clutch 60 will be operative to prevent the fall of the weightv 62. By adjusting the contact 58 toward, or away from, the contact 55, the sensitiveness of the circuit controlling device may be regulated as desired, and this circuit controlling mechanism may be adjusted to adapt it to wires of different diameters.

In the event of breakage of a strip of sliver, the diameter of the wire, as it leaves the die 10, will be smaller than the properly covered wire, thus permitting the movable contact 55 to engage the contact 58, closing the circuit to the magnet 59, and releasing the clutch 60, whereupon the weight 62 will immediately descend and actuate the lever 49 in a manner to release the clutch 34: and set the brakes 50 upon the table 4-.

The stop mechanism above described, is simple in construction, but various refinements may be incorporated therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The operation of the herein described device is substantially as follows.

In starting a run of the machine, the end of a section of wire 14 is passed about the guide roller 15, upwardly through the opening in the trough 19 and the shield 20 carried thereby, through the hollow arbor 6, the die 11, the hollow arbor 9, and the die 10, surmounting said spindle, the cord or other device attached to the end of the wire being passed about the feeding sheave 13. The portion of the wire between the die 11 and trough 19 may then be coated by hand with the adhesive, or, if desired, the pump 21 may be put in operation while the wire is being threaded through the machine, so as to properly coat the wire. When the wire has been coated, the end of the strip of sliver, or other material, from one of the barrels 5, is wrapped about the wire, and the ends of other strips of sliver, or other material, are superimposed upon this first strip, and one upon the other, and the wire fed by hand, or otherwise, until the portions of the sliver, or other material, applied to the wire, have passed within the die 11. Thereafter, power may be applied to the machine through the pulley 35, and the shaft 33, the clutch mechanism 34 being set and the brake 50 being released to permit the free and rapid rotation of the table 4.

As power is applied to the shaft 33, the shaft 12 will be rotated through the speed reducing mechanism heretofore described, so as to cause lineal traverse of the wire, simultaneously with the rotation of the table 4 carrying the barrels 5, the travel of the wire, and the winding action of the sliver, resulting from the rotation of the table 4, being in the desired ratio to ensure the proper covering of the wire with the sliver, or other absorbent material, the spiral trend of said sliver, or other material, resulting from the simultaneous lineal traverse of the wire, and rotation of the table 4.

While the machine is in operation, the pump 21 is operated continuously to discharge a small stream of the adhesive from the tank 17 upon the wire adjacent the shield 20, said shield tending to cause a flow of the l9, and be returned to the" tank 17.

adhesive completely about the wire in a manner, to apply a substantially continuous filmof adhesive to saidwire. The movement of *the wire in relationfto the shield will tend to prevent any flow of the adhesive through the opening in said shiel'd,"and all surplus adhesive will flow into the trough Since the wire is at the normal temperature of the surrounding atmosphere,- and the adhesive, when applied thereto, is at a considerably higher temperature, the contact of the adhesive with the wire will tend to-set that portion thereof next the wire, upon the wire, the subsequent travel of the wire before the point of application of the sliver, or other material, thereto, affording suflicient time forthe adhesive to flow along the surface of the wire and a portion'thereof to set to a point where it becomes tacky, or sufficiently viscous to avoid any substantial penetration of the fibres of the sliver, or other material, thereby. In this manner the quantity of adhesive required to form a proper bond between the inmost layer or ply of the sliver, or other material, and the wire, is reduced to a minimum, thus not only efiecting a saving of adhesive, but also preserving the absorbent property of substantially the entire mass of the sliver, or other absorbent base of the insulation, and thus facilitating the saturation or impregnation thereof with the asphaltum or other composition for weatherproofing and increasing the non-conductivity of said base.

As the wire 14, covered with one or more plies of spirally wound sliver, or other ma- 'terial,'passes throughthe die 11, which die has rotative movement about the wire in the direction of the application of the sliver, or other material, to the wire, said sliver paction upon the Wire, thus tending to at least partially mat the fibers thereof prior to the passage of the covered wire through the die 10.

As the covered wire passes through the die 10, the covering material will receive a second compaction from the conical portion of the opening through this die, the straight portion of said opening affording aslight dwell to facilitate the setting of the fibers preparatory to the applicationof the bindspindles 24, and the die 10, these strands or threads are imbedded'lin the fiber of the sliver, or other material, the guide afforded by the eyes in the plate 26, and the outer face of thedie 10, serving to prevent the entangling of different Strandser threads, is

upon said reel with the continued operation of the machine.

The manner of applying the adhesiv to the wire, limitsthe quantity of said adhesive used, to an extent topermit a rapid feed"- ing of the wire through the machiner By pitching the top of the barrels 5 inwardly toward the "axis of rotation ofthe table'4,

the speed of rotation of this table may be increased to apoint commensurate withthe rapid feeding of the wire 14, since centrifugal force-will have little, or no tendency toward a lifting action-of the inner portion of the convolutions of the coil of the sliver,

or other material, contained in said barrels, Wl110l1 might resultin a tendency of said materi'al to become'entangled while in, and as it is being withdrawn from, the barrel.

In winding covered wire. upon the reel29, slippag'e of the belt connection between the pulleys 43 and 44 may be relied upon to compensate for the gradual increase in the diameter of the wire upon the reel 29, or, if desired, any other well known expedient for securing a gradual decrease in the speed of said reel, for this purpose, may be employed. The covered andbound wire will be laid upon thereel by the traverse mechanismi I the usual and well known manner. Wlll receive'an 1n1t1al, or prel minary, com- If it be desired to stop the machine, either as a1" result of the exhaustion of the supply of wire, or any; other purpose, the hand lever 49 will be forced to the left (Fig. 1) thus releasing the clutch 34 and at the same time rocking one lever through the link 58, and through said lever and the connecting rod 51,and the other lever, in amanner to simul-' taneously apply-the brakes to-the table 4, and thus tend. to arrest rotative movement ofsaid table and prevent the entangling of the difierent strips of sliver, or other covering material.

In the event of the breakage of the sliver,

during the operation of the machine, the

stop mechanism willbe actuated in the manner heretofore described, to prevent a con-' tinned"applicationof powerto the machine.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in'the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, 7,

, Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

11. An insulating wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable horizontal platform, a container or containers for a coil of cotton sliver or other material supported by said platform, means adapted to hold said container or containers at an incline towards the axis of rotation of said platform, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said platform, means applying adhesive to the wire before the sliver, or other material, is wound thereon, means for compacting the sliver, or other material, upon the wire, means for applying binding cords or strands to the compacted sliver, and actuating means for said platform, said wire feedingmeans and said last named means.

2. An insulating wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable horizontal platform, a container or containers for a coil of cotton sliver, or other material supported by said platform, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said platform, means applying adhesive to the wire before the sliver, or other material, is wound thereon, a die adapted tocompact the sliver upon the wire, a rotary head adapted to carry one or more spools of cord or other binding strands, a flanged plate, outwardly flared adjacent the outlet of said die, said flared portion having a guide opening for each cord or strand, a tension device operative upon each cord or strand, and actuating means for said platform, said Wire feeding means and said rotary head.

8. An insulating wire covering machine embodying therein. a rotatable horizontal platform, a container or containers for a coil of cotton sliver, or other material supported by said platform, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said platform, means applying adhesive to the wire before the sliver, or other material, is wound thereon, a die adapted to compact the sliver upon the wire, said die being frustoconical and having a reduced edge adjacent its outlet, a rotary head adapted to carry one or more spools of cord or other binding strands, means guiding the cords or strands adjacent the outlet of said die, a tension device operative upon each cord or strand, and actuating means for said platform, said wire feeding means and said rotary head.

4. An insulating wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable horizontal platform, a container or containers for a coil ofcotton sliver, or other material supported bysaid platform, wirefeeding means where by a Wire is continuously fed axially of said platform, means applying adhesive to the wire before the sliver, or other material, is wound thereon, a die adapted to compact the sliver upon the wire, said die having an opening therethrough of gradually decreasing diameter from the bottom thereof, and a section of uniform diameter adjacent the outlet thereof, and said die being frustoconical and having a reduced edge adjacent the outlet thereof, a rotary head adapted to carry one or more spools of cord or other binding strands, means guiding the cords or strands adjacent the outlet of said die, a tension device operative upon each cord or strand, and actuating means for said platform, said wire feeding means and said rotary head.

7 An insulating wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable horizontal platform, a container or containers for a coil of cotton sliver, or other material carried by said platform, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of Said platform, means applying adhesive to the wire before the sliver, or other material, is wound thereon, means for compacting the sliver, or other material, upon the Wire, means for applying binding cords or strands to the compacted sliver, actuating means for said platform, said wire feeding means and said last named means, manually operative means whereby said actuating means may be made operative or inoperative, and an automatically acting stop mechanism operative as a result of variance in the diameter of the covered wire, comprising a weight, means adapted to normally hold said weight inoperative, a plurality of electrical contacts beyond said means applying binding cords or strands to the sliver-covered wire, and normally separated by the .covered wire, an clectro-magnet included in circuit therewith, and operative upon said means to release said weight, and connections between said weight and said actuating means.

6. An insulating wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable horizontal platform, a container or containers for a coil of cotton sliver, or other material carride by said platform, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said platform, means applying adhesive to the wire before the sliver, or other material, is wound thereon, means for compacting the sliver, or other material, upon the wire, means for applying binding cords or strands to the compacted sliver, actuating means for said platform, said wire feeding means and said last named means, manually operative means whereby said actuating means may be made operative or inoperative and an automatically acting stop mechanism operative as a result of variance in the diameter of the covered wire, comprising aweight, means adapted to normally hold said weight inoperative. a plurality of electrical contacts beyond said means applying binding cords or strands to the sliver O a. l

covered wire, and normally separated by the covered wire, an adjustable point carried by one of said contacts whereb may be set for wires of di erent sizes, an electromagnet included in circuit therewith, and operative upon said means to release said weight, and connections between said weight and said actuating means.

7 An insulating wire covering machine embodying therein a rotatable horizontal platform, a container or containers for a coil of sliver, or other material carried by said platform, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said platform, an adhesive container, means whereby the adhesive within said container is withdrawn therefrom and discharged upon the wire before said sliver, or other material, is applied thereto, a die adapted to compact the sliver upon the wire, said die having an opening therethrough of gradually decreasing diameter from the bottom thereof, and a section of uniform diameter adjacent the outlet thereof, and said die being frustoconical and having a reduced edge adjacent the outlet thereof, a rotary head adapted to carry one or more spools of cord or other binding strands, means guiding the cords) or strands adjacent the outlet of said. die, a tensiondevice operative upon each cord or strand, and actuating means for said platform, said wire feeding means and said rotary head.

8. An insulating wire covering machine embodying therein a' rotatable horizontal platform, a container or containers for a coil of cotton sliver or other material supported by said platform, means adapted to hold said container or containers at an incline towards the axis of rotation of said platform, wire feeding means whereby a wire is continuously fed axially of said platform, means applying adhesive to the wire the machine before the sliver,'or other material, is wound thereon, a sequence of dies rotatable with said platform, adapted to successively compact the sliver upon the wire, a rotary head adapted to carry one or more spools of cord or other binding strands, guides carried thereby adjacent the outlet of the die imparting a final compaction to said sliver, or other material, a tension device operative upon each cord or strand, and actuating means for said platform, said wire feeding means and said rotary head.

9. An insulating wire covering machineembodying therein a rotatable horizontal platform, a container or containers for a coil of cotton sliver or othermaterial supported by said platform, means adapted to hold said containervor containers at an incline towards the axis of rotation of said platform, an adhesive container, means whereby the adhesive within said container is withdrawn therefrom and discharged upon the wire beforesaid sliver, or other material, is applied thereto, a sequence of dies rotatable with said platform, adapted to successively compact the sliver upon the wire, a rotary head adapted to carry one or more spools of cord or other binding strands, guides carried thereby adjacent the outlet of the die imparting a final compaction to said sliver, or other material, a tension device operative upon each cord or strand, actuating means for said platform, said wire feeding means and said rotary head, manually operative means whereby said actuating means may be made operative or inoperative, and an automatically acting stop 'mechanism' operative as a result of variance in the diameter of the covered wire. a

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, this 26th day of November, 1918.

WILLIAM E. COOK. 

